Thursday, June 21, 2012

Ryan Suter & Zach Parise: Minnesota bound?

Zach Parise is from MIN and Ryan Suter is from the neighboring state of WI -- they are longtime friends.

Suter played for current MIN majority owner, Craig Leipold, who, like the Suter clan, is originally from Wisconsin.

Suter's agent is a college teammate of MIN Wild major shareholder, Phil Falcone -- they remain very good friends.

MIN acquired Tom Gilbert likely because of his ties to both Parise and Suter (giving MIN the pre-July 1 inside track on communication).

There's more...enter Ryan Suter's wife, beautiful Becky.

Becky Suter

Becky is a business school grad from University of Wisconsin. Ryan Suter met her there during his one and only year playing for the Badgers. She is originally from Minneapolis -- they were married at the golf course a stone's throw away from Zach Parise's new lakeside house in the upscale Minnetonka area).

Shea Weber

Ultimately, it may be Suter's wife responsible for Shea Weber's eventual exit from NSH.

Shea Weber seemed content to sign a multi-year deal with NSH back in 2010. But as contract talks gradually wore on, I suspect his buddy Suter at some point told him, "Hey Shea, I don't know if you really want to sign a long term deal, brah. I think there's a good chance I might be signing elsewhere my deal is up."

I think Suter wants out because he wants to do something nice for his wife, who still lists herself as working for her dad's real estate firm, which is in Minneapolis. It just so happens, Zach Parise is also from Minneapolis and he and Ryan Suter are known to be friends. I think those two have a plan that involves the Wild.

Parise bought a lake front mansion in suburban Minneapolis last summer and will be married, (likely) at the golf course across from his house, to his North Dakota fiancee, Alisha Woods, on July 21. Suter and his wife were married at that same country club a few years ago.

Zach Parise Lake Minnetonka Home

NHL team official:"I am assuming that, at least as of right now, they [Zach Parise & Ryan Suter] are a package deal. They certainly seem to have set it up that way, themselves."

USA Olympic team official:"My sense of what they shared when the team was together is a vision of how the game should be played, how they play their game given their talents and ability and how teams should play. I think that is what a lot of this hot stove, rumor-mill stuff is about: They know the kind of hockey they want to play, and they want to play it together, on a team they will help lead. Now, whether that desire ultimately rules the day is something that will be seen, in time."

Alisha & Zach Parise

So as Parise and Suter's plans started to form, likely over the Olympics, perhaps solidifying last season, Weber's tune started changing last spring about signing longterm in NSH. As you know, he ended up letting the negotiation go to (team elected) arbitration, ultimately picking the one year award instead of the two.

Bailey Munro

I recall hearing on Team 1040 last season, one of the local reporters saying that Weber told him about Vancouver during the Olympics, "this wouldn't be a bad place to play, eh" (or something to that effect). He's also on record as saying Vancouver is his favorite road city because "it's close to home." It's also close to home for his fiancee, Bailey Munro, who like Shea, is a graduate of Kelowna Secondary School.

So there you go, the moral of the story could very well end up being: if you want to know where players are going to sign, check with the wives.